Step by step, Sebastian approached Kilgrave's table.
As he walked, he took a deep breath and activated Occlumency. Although the technique was originally meant to shield against memory-reading spells like Legilimency, Sebastian believed that fully sealing the mind could resist any sort of mental intrusion—including Kilgrave's.
His gaze gradually lost focus, not from distraction, but from deliberate concentration—his mind retreating behind mental barriers, sealed tight like a vault.
Reaching the table, Sebastian placed the dish gently in front of the suited man.
Kilgrave didn't even glance at him. Instead, he turned to the stiff-faced woman at his side.
"Come now, Jessica," he said, voice smooth as velvet. "This is the restaurant's most famous black truffle pine oil soup. Try it."
Then, without sparing Sebastian so much as a glance, he gave a lazy wave.
"Alright, you can go now."
He paused.
No response.
Kilgrave's brow furrowed.
"Did you not hear me?"
His voice sharpened.
"I said—go. down."
Kilgrave turned toward Sebastian, intending to glare down the man who dared ignore his command—only for Sebastian to strike first.
In a flash, Sebastian's hand shot out and clamped around Kilgrave's throat, cutting off his voice before a word could escape.
Deprived of an order, Jessica remained in her dazed state, obediently tasting the black truffle pine oil soup in front of her, oblivious to the escalating chaos.
Kilgrave struggled against Sebastian's iron grip, and in a burst of desperation, pulled a pistol from inside his jacket and fired.
Bang!
Sebastian twisted his body at the last moment, the bullet whizzing past harmlessly. Kilgrave's aim had been off—but the blast forced Sebastian to loosen his grip.
Coughing and gasping, Kilgrave rasped out, "Jessica... cough... Kill him!"
Jessica froze mid-sip.
Then her eyes snapped forward.
With explosive force, she launched herself at Sebastian—her punch carrying the terrifying strength of someone no longer human.
Sebastian dove into a roll, narrowly avoiding the impact.
The floor where he'd just stood cracked and cratered under Jessica's fist.
He didn't hesitate. Raising his hand mid-roll, he pointed his palm at Jessica and whispered sharply:
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Jessica, who was about to rush toward Sebastian, immediately levitated from the spot.
Her body struggled in the air, but it couldn't break the force that kept her suspended.
Sebastian looked at Jessica and casually waved his hand outward. The levitated Jessica accelerated and was sent flying out of the restaurant, crashing through the glass and leaving an afterimage as she soared into the street, causing pedestrians to scream in terror.
Kilgrave, realizing that Sebastian was no ordinary person, immediately raised his gun and aimed it at him.
But Sebastian cast the Levitation Charm on Kilgrave once again, and with another swift motion of his arm, Kilgrave was sent hurtling toward the ceiling before crashing down to the ground. Blood spurted from his nose and mouth as he dropped the gun.
"Cough, cough, cough... Jesse... Jessica, save me!"
Boom!
The glass of the restaurant shattered from the outside, as Jessica, with her enhanced strength, broke through. Despite her power, the broken glass didn't harm her.
Sebastian planned to use the Floating Charm once again to finish off the scumbag Kilgrave, but just as he raised his hand, Jessica, who had broken through the glass, grabbed Kilgrave and shielded him in her arms. With a swift kick, she propelled herself out of the restaurant, carrying Kilgrave with her.
Watching them flee, Sebastian knew that he couldn't let them escape.
If they got away, endless attacks and retaliation would follow. He wasn't afraid of their revenge, but Alisha was just an ordinary person. He couldn't allow her to be dragged into such a dangerous situation.
Kilgrave must die today!
Ignoring everything else, Sebastian removed the chef's uniform and hat, pulling the hood over his head to conceal his face. He then followed Jessica and Kilgrave, rushing out of the restaurant.
As he watched them leap rapidly toward the building across the street, he cast a levitation spell on himself. With a swift push of his legs, he took to the air, following Jessica and Kilgrave as they made their escape.
The passersby on the street, stunned and filming with their phones, caught his attention. However, Sebastian was helpless against it. All he could do was attempt to shield his identity by covering his face as much as possible.
When he landed on the roof of the building, he continued his pursuit. However, Jessica's physical abilities far outpaced his own.
She was far stronger, her skills extraordinary, while Sebastian was still just an ordinary person.
Though Sebastian had cast the levitation charm on himself, he knew that, over time, he would fall behind Jessica and Kilgrave. He had to intercept them soon or risk losing them completely.
"Petrificus Totalus!" "Petrificus Totalus!"
Two streams of light shot from Sebastian's fingertips in quick succession, but neither hit Jessica or Kilgrave.
The first spell struck the roof of a building, leaving a hole the size of a fist.
The second hit a water tank on the roof, harmlessly petrifying a pigeon.
Damn, it's impossible to aim accurately without a wand. Once this is over, I'll make the time to craft a proper one!
Boom!
With a slight push off the edge of the roof, Sebastian leapt, staying close behind Jessica and Kilgrave.
Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a high-rise crane slowly transporting steel beams to the top of a building between the two buildings ahead. Narrowing his gaze, Sebastian spotted Jessica and Kilgrave about to jump near the crane.
Without hesitation, he stretched his hand out and pressed it against the steel beam, casting a floating charm.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Creak...
The steel beam, which had been lifted steadily, suddenly rotated and moved upward, positioned directly in front of Jessica and Kilgrave, and collided with them mid-air!
The abrupt block left Jessica with no time to dodge. She collided head-on with the steel beam, losing her balance and crashing hard onto the rooftop.
As for Kilgrave, who had been in her arms, he was violently thrown away, slamming to the ground. His legs and one arm bent at unnatural angles, blood pouring from his nose and mouth.
For Kilgrave, whose physical condition was only average, the high-altitude fall and impact were fatal. Had Jessica not been there to cushion his fall, taking most of the damage, he would already be dead.
But even with Jessica's protection, Kilgrave was severely injured and barely conscious.
Sebastian's body descended slowly, landing next to Jessica, who was slowly rising from the ground. He raised his hand and cast a Petrificus Totalus on her, freezing her in place.
Kilgrave's control ability was extremely strong. As long as he wasn't too far away and remained conscious, his victims couldn't break free of his control—unless they had been under it for a long time, allowing their bodies to gradually develop resistance. Of course, this still required exceptional physical resilience.
In short, it was nearly impossible to escape Kilgrave's control, and Jessica would interfere with Sebastian if allowed. Therefore, he took the initiative to strip her of her mobility, ensuring that he could deal with Kilgrave without distraction.
He approached Kilgrave slowly.
At that moment, Kilgrave was crawling away with his only intact right arm, trying to distance himself from Sebastian's approach.
But his efforts were futile.
"Kilgrave," Sebastian said coldly, "when you toy with the minds and bodies of others, think about the day when it happens to you."
Kilgrave, still desperately calling Jessica's name in a hoarse voice, was only met with silence. Jessica, immobilized by Sebastian's Petrificus Totalus, could not respond. Although the spell was weaker without a wand, it was enough to keep her completely still.
Jessica didn't respond to his call for a long time, and eventually, Kilgrave realized that this time, he truly had to die. He looked at Sebastian, a mocking smile curling on his lips, and hoarsely said, "Do you think you're any different from me? With your superhuman power, you'll eventually look down on these ordinary people from above. Sooner or later, you'll become just like me. Why do you think you have the right to kill me? What makes you qualified to end my life?"
Sebastian remained calm, his eyes cold. "I didn't kill you for justice," he said quietly. "I killed you because you endangered my family. That's all."
With that, Sebastian didn't say another word. He cast the levitation spell once more, sending Kilgrave soaring into the sky. When Kilgrave was nothing but a tiny black speck in his eyes, Sebastian snapped his fingers, and the levitation spell immediately ceased. Kilgrave fell from the sky, crashing onto the roof with a sickening thud, his body turning into a pool of mangled flesh. Blood poured out and gathered into a grim pool.
Sebastian walked over to Jessica's side, watching as her eyes slowly regained clarity. He snapped his fingers again, lifting the petrification spell from her body. Then, without a word, he jumped off the roof. When Jessica rushed to the edge, trying to catch a glimpse of him, Sebastian had already vanished from her sight.
Walking down the alley, Sebastian shed his sweater and emerged onto an unmonitored street, now wearing only the short-sleeved shirt underneath. He entered a nearby clothing store, purchased a new sweater and pants in a different color, and pulled the hood up to conceal his face. He then returned to the restaurant.
Entering through the back door, Sebastian found that everyone in the restaurant had regained their senses. However, the memory of the chaos they had just experienced was still fresh in their minds, leaving them in a state of confusion.
Sebastian slipped into the monitoring room next to the utility closet, where no one was present. It was the perfect place for him to work undisturbed. He quickly deleted the surveillance footage of himself, taking the original master tape as well.
Once he had completed the task, Sebastian carefully picked up the unconscious Alisha and placed her in the lounge.
He trusted the people in the restaurant—reliable and loyal—and felt at ease leaving Alisha in their care. Afterward, he quietly exited the restaurant, riding his bike as if nothing had happened.
Once home, Sebastian took out a meal from the fridge, heated it in the microwave, and carried it back to his room. As he ate, he opened his computer to check the status of his orders on Amazon and eBay. The logistics, as always, were painfully slow, but Sebastian had long since stopped complaining.
The items he had ordered were mostly wood from various trees, feathers from different birds, and even specimens of lizards and snakes.
This world lacked the magical materials from his previous life—or perhaps those materials were beyond his reach for now. He could only rely on substitutes for the time being. At the very least, he could use them to craft a wand. The more magic he had, the greater the possibility of traveling to mysterious places like Kama Taj or Asgard, where he could find the true magical materials needed for potions or a proper wand.
But the biggest issue right now was the slow pace of logistics from Amazon and eBay.